Rearview mirror support



June 1, 1965 w. J. WEDER REARVIEW MIRROR SUPPORT Filed March 31, 1964 6Sheets-Sheet 1 I FIG. I

INVENTOR WILLIAM -J. WEDER BY SEMMES 8x SEMMES ATTORNEY June 1, 1965 w.J. WEDER REARVIEW MIRROR SUPPORT 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1964INVENTOR WILLIAM J. WEDER BY SEMMES 8 SEMMES ATTORNEY June 1, 1965 w. J.WEDER REARVIEW MIRROR SUPPORT 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 31, 1964WILLIAM J. WEDER BY SEMMES' a SEMMES ATTORNEY June 1, 1965 w. J. WEDER IREARVIEW MIRROR SUPPORT 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 31, 1964 INVENTORWILLIAM J. WEDER BY SEMMES 8| SEMMES ATTORNEY June 1, 1965 w. J. WEDERREARVIEW MIRROR SUPPORT 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 31, 1964 FIG.6

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INVENTOR WILLiAM J. WEDER BY SEMMES 8| SEMMES ATTORNEY June 1, 1965 w.J. WEDER 3,186,672

REARVIEW MIRROR SUPPORT Filed March 31, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 8

INVEN 1 OR WILLIAM J. WEDER BY SEMMES 8x SEMMES ATTORNEY 3,186,672REARVIEW MIRROR SUPPQRT William J. Weder, Upper Black Eddy, Pa.,assignor t Arcoa, inc, Portland, Greg, a corporation of Gregon FiledMar. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 356,208 7 Claims. (Cl. 248-226) The presentinvention relates to rearview mirrors such as are used on trucks andautomobiles, particularly a rental mirror which may be readily aflixedto any type vehicle.

In the trailer rental industry, such as that carried on by applicantunder the service mark U-Haul (Reg. No. 746,034), a principal difficultyhas been in the adaptation of rearview mirrors to the multitude ofvarious types of automobiles with which the rental customer wishes topull the rental trailer. Ideally, the mirror must be readily attachableby an inexperienced person to any type of vehicle and on either sidethereof. Also, the mirror must be of sufficient sturdiness to withstandrough treat ment at the hands of inexperienced installation and roughroad conditions while complying with the requisites of the various statelaws.

Numerous previous inventors have attempted to devise adjustablernirrors, but in every instance the installation has been complex'andexpensive. De Vaan (2,898,- 070) provides three extensible arms forconnection of the truck mirror to the automobile vent window. Farnsworth(3,081,057) engages the'window channel or door inside by a clamp securedto tensile members 29 and provides additionally, a bumper-engagementmeans 41. Jones (3,118,965) teaches the concept of engaging the windowchannel by clamp mean-s.

Iowever, none have approached applicants concept wherein the rearviewmirror consists in a tubelike base having a rearview mirror pivotablysupported therein, a top auto window channel clamp pivoted at one end tosaid base and at its free end engageable with the auto window channeland a bottom auto door clamp flexibly depending from the base. Thesecombined features point literally to a ten second rigid installation ofthe mirror oneither side of any size or type vehicle by anyinexperienced person and Without tools of any kind.

Accordingly, it is an object of invention to provide a readily installedrearview mirror adapted for ready installation in any type or sizevehicle.

Another object of invention is to provide a universally adaptable mirrorfor the trailer rental industry.

Yet, an additional object of invention is to provide means foradjustably supporting a rearview mirror on the door of a truck orautomobile.

Yet, additional objects of invention will become apparent from theensuing specification and attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View (with an auto shown in phantom) of therearview mirror installed on the auto door by means of its top autowindow clamp engaging the auto window channel and the flexibly dependingbottom auto door clamp engaging auto door bottom.

FIG. 2 is a similar perspective showing the mirror installed on therighthand side of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is an exploded View of the rental mirror, the rearview mirroritself being of a modified circular construction.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the bottom auto door clamp 64 attached toa flexible neoprene tube 70 having a hook 72 fixed at its top.

FIG. 4-A is a front elevation showing a modification of inventionwherein a molded shock cord 71 entirely encompasses and extends wireform.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along sect-ion line 55 of FIG. 4 andshowing a polyvinyl chloride coating provided for wire clamp 64.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the top of the auto window channel clampshowing channel-engaging, downwardly inclined hook 88.

FIG. 7 is a top plan of the top auto window channel clamp convexlyconfigured in its median portion to engage the tubelike base 32.

FIG. 8 is fragmented front elevation of the entire device.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, a rental mirror generally designated 20 is shown asattached to an auto (shown in phantom) having door 22 and auto top 24.In FIG. 1 rectangular mirror'26 is shown in its horizontal oflsetsupported position. In FIG. 2 a somewhat similar rectangular mirror isshown in its vertical support position. Manifestly a round or circularmirror 30, as illustrated in FIG. 3, may also be employed. However, theotfset rectangular mirror is preferred for its extraordinarycapabilities for viewing throughout the length of a towed vehicle. Invertical position, of course, the rectangular mirror is less subject todamage and provides a full view of the towed vehicle.

Mirror support 20 comprises a primary aluminum tubelike base 32 and asecondary mirror support piece 34, pivotably supported within tube 32 bymeans of a neoprene friction cup 36, having inner annular ridges 42, acircular flange 4B for engaging the top of the tubelike base 42. At thebottom of tubelike base 32, a rubber, neoprene or like resilient cushionor bumper 38 is provided. f

Mirror support piece 34 has, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 8, aflattened portion 44 with an aperture 46 extending therethrough. Aspecial mirror support piece 98 having a ball 56 atone end and athreaded portion extensible through aperture 46 at the other, may besecured to mirror support piece 44 by means of washer 47 and nut 48.Ball 56 is fitted within a corresponding socket support in mirror box54. 1

A roll pin 58 traverses primary member 32 at its midportion and extendson either side thereof through top auto window channel clamp armshoulder flanges 78 and 80. A roll pin bushing 62 may be employed forsecuring the shoulder flanges to roll pin 58. Alternatively, bothflanges 78 and 80, as well as roll pin bushing 62 may be formed on adie-produced extrusion from the parent metal of clamp 60. As illustratedin FIGS. 3 and 4, bottom auto door clamp 64 may be vinyl coated so as toavoid scratching the auto door and consists of inverted hook portionattached to flexible neoprene hollow tubing by means of V-shaped dooroutside portion 109, inwardly projectingv horizontal portion 102-forengaging the door bottom and an upwardly projecting door inside portion104 parallel to said inverted V-shaped door outside portion and definingthe inner edge of the door engaging clamp. Tubing 70 in turn is secured,as illustrated in FIG. 4, about roll pin 58 by means of shock cordbushing 76 fastened about twisted wire .74 which in turn definesw-ire'lock portion 72.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, top auto Window channel clamp 60includes downturned side portions 84 and outward slightly upturnedportions 86. Inwardly inclined window channel hook portion 88 ofapproximately similar width as bottom outer door hook portion 104 isprovided for grasping the auto channel window.

like base 32 when it is in folded position. Shoulders 7% and 8t) definea semi-circular saddle 94 for pivotally engaging the tubelike base 32when arm 60 is pivoted outwardly in mirror support position.

In one modification of invention, auto-window-channel engaging hook 88and portional hook 104 being of equal dimension were approximately 4 /2inches in width, tubelike base '32 was approximately 17 inches in lengthand flexible neoprene tubing 7% including depending hook 64 was also 17inches in length. The entire assembly from mirror support piece 34 tobottom auto door hook 64 was extensible to approximately four feet.

As will be readily apparent, the present rental mirror is adaptable toall types of automobiles and most trucks. The aluminum base 32 andclamps 60 are non-rusting and exceptionally light, the heaviest portionof the device being the glass in the mirror itself.. The rental mirrormay be readily installed on either side of a carer truck and theflexible rental mirror is secure and not subject to'vibra-tionlooseness, does not damage the car finish when installed, and does nothave to be reassembled for installation on either right or lefthand sidedoor." Any rental customer may install'the mirror anywhere without toolsand without instruction. Manifestly, variations in size and materialsused may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope ofinvention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rearview mirror comprising:

(a) a supporting base, having bumper means at its lower end;

(b) a mirror supportingpiece extending from within said base andadjustably contained therein;

(c) a rearview mirror attached to said supporting piece;

(d) a top auto window channel clamp pivoted at one end medially of saidbase and extending to one side thereof; and

(e) a bottom auto door clamp flexibly depending from the bottom of saidbase.

2. A rearview mirror comprising:

(a) a tubelike base, having bumper means at its lower end;

(b) a mirror support extending from and rotatably supported within saidbase;

(c) a rearview mirror pivoted upon said mirror sup- (d) a top autowindow channel clamp pivoted at one end about a medial portion of saidbase; and

(e) a bottom auto-door engaging clamp flexibly connected to said base soas to be extensible therefrom.

3. A rearview mirror as in claim 2, said top :auto window channel clampbeing pivoted about said tubelike base by pin means extending throughsaid tube and the pivoted end of said clamp.

4. A rearview mirror as in claim 3, including an extensible connectorfastened about said pin at one end and fastened to said bottom doorengaging clamp at its other end. i V

5. A rearview mirror as in claim 2, said top auto window clamp having:

(-i) in top plan an outwardly widening configuration at its free endinner shoulders defining at its pivoted end a semi-circular saddle forengagement with said base; i

(ii) an inwardly and downwardly depending auto window channel clamp atits free end; and

(iii) a median concavity in the top of said clamp for receiving saidbase when said auto window channel clamp is folded downwardly againstsaid base in inoperable position; said concavity extending from saidsaddle to said auto window clamp 'free end.

6. An auto mirror as inclaim 5, said bottom autodoor engaging clampincluding an inverted V-shaped outside'portion, an inwardly projectinghorizontal portion for engaging the door bottom, and an upwardlyprojecting inside portion parallel to said inverted V- shaped outsideportion and defining the inner edge of g the door engaging clamp.

1 7. Arearview mirror as in claim 6, said bottom auto door engagingclamp and said top auto window clamp being of substantially identicalwidth.

References Cited by the Examiner CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A REARVIEW MIRROR COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORTING BASE, HAVING BUMPERMEANS AT ITS LOWER END; (B) A MIRROR SUPPORTING PIECE EXTENDING FROMWITHIN SAID BASE AND ADJUSTABLY CONTAINED THEREIN; (C) A REARWIEW MIRRORATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORTING PIECE; (D) A TOP AUTO WINDOW CHANNEL CLAMPPIVOTED AT ONE END MEDIALLY OF SAID BASE AND EXTENDING TO ONE SIDETHEREOF; AND